The recent proliferation of electronic text and multimedia databases has placed at society's fingertips a wealth of information and knowledge. Typically, a computer is employed that locates and retrieves information from the database in response to a user's input. The requested information is then displayed on the computer's monitor. Modern database systems permit efficient, comprehensive, and convenient access to an infinite variety of documents, publications, periodicals, and newspapers. Yet retrieving information from databases is often slow. Sometimes, this is caused by bandwidth limitations, such as when information is retrieved from remotely-located databases over an ordinary telephone line, a very narrow bottleneck. In other cases, slow retrieval is caused by a relatively slow local mass storage device (e.g., a CD-ROM drive).
There exists a compelling need for a database system that has better usability and/or a quicker response time so that information is displayed very soon after the user requests it. In some embodiments, the present invention takes advantage of the fact that it can be useful to have the user exercise some direct control over the retrieval of information. Some embodiments of the present invention could also take advantage of the fact that the time that the user spends viewing displayed information is often sufficient to advantageously preload a substantial amount of information.
With these and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims, and to the several drawings herein.